


What's in a Name?

by Oriki-Miitad (Sneaking_UnicornWitch)



Series: Onomastics [The Study of Names] [2]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Crack?, Dialogue Heavy, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Humor, I Hate The Kaminoans, Let Cody Say Fuck, Names are hard, Not Beta Read, Swearing, The Kaminoans Are Bastards, brothers being brothers, rex is a little shit, soft, this is really silly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:34:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26015851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sneaking_UnicornWitch/pseuds/Oriki-Miitad
Summary: Obi-Wan's always wondered where his Commander got his name.
Relationships: CC-2224 | Cody & CT-7567 | Rex, CC-2224 | Cody & Obi-Wan Kenobi
Series: Onomastics [The Study of Names] [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1888222
Comments: 17
Kudos: 134





	What's in a Name?

**Author's Note:**

> this was truly meant to be a silly little 3-line thing. Then it got a little sad (not bad sad, just... clone upbringing sad).
> 
> Again, un-beta-ed, and tbh un-copy edited. This is just silly.

"You know, Commander, it's always struck me that your name was rather... normal... for a clone." Obi-Wan says as they walk side by side out of the briefing. 

_Fuck_. "Ah. Yes, General." Cody scrubs the back of his neck, and wishes that his bucket wasn't currently hanging by his waist. "There are a few of us. There's a Michael with the Novas, and a Joe in the 327th. Plus our own Jacob, of course."

"I had thought it might have been a basic version of the Mando'a for glory. But I've never heard anyone call you  _ Kote _ . It truly is Cody, then?"

"Yes, Sir. Just Cody." Cody is almost at his quarters. He can say goodbye to the General and hide. A few steps further and he's in the clear. “Plain old Cody, that’s me.”

"Excuse me General. You asking our Cody about his name?" gets shouted out from behind them. Oh gods. Cody runs through the emergency escape protocols in his head to stop himself stabbing his vod'ika. They'd never get the stain out, and Ponds wouldn't forgive him. Might be worth it though...

Cody turns slowly to face Rex, who's running down the corridor towards them. Cody's face is giving very clear _shutupshutupshutup_ signals, and Cody  _ knows _ Rex can see them because he is  _ not wearing his helmet _ .

“Rex! We were, yes. Why? Is the Commander not being entirely truthful with me?” Obi-Wan glances sideways at him. There’s a smile tugging at the corners of his moustache. He’s being played with. He’s not so sure he minds. 

Rex doesn't begin where Cody expects.

“You know as cadets we have squads, right? And before that batches? On Kamino?” Obi-Wan’s expression turns slightly sour, the way it always does when their homeworld is brought up. “Well there’s an understanding from the longnecks that before we’re cadets we bunk together. Good for our development. I think Prime’s the one who made them start doing that.”

Obi-Wan looks lost, and Cody is just counting down from increasingly large numbers to stop himself from flinging his body at Rex or running away. Both sound pretty good. 

“...well, as we get older the expectation is that you become more… isolated. Keep to yourself. At least where the Kaminiise can see you. Single bunks. That sort of thing. It’s a big shift.”

“Captain, the more I learn about your childhoods, the more I hate the Kaminoans. But I’m not entirely sure what this has to do with my Commander’s name?”

Cody’s heart flushes the way it always does at the General’s use of the possessive, in that crisp tone. His face is probably also flushing with embarrassment and -  **why doesn’t he have his bucket on!**

Rex smirks, twists a hip into something almost approximating a slouch, “Some brothers find it hard to adapt. Still need some comfort. Looking back, it’s not a surprise, not a problem. Look at how many cuddle piles my 501st get into. Hell, I don’t think Wolffe’s lot ever put the mattresses on the bunks.” Rex’s eyes keep flicking to Cody, saying  _ ‘see, I think it’s fine. I love you, ori’vod. I love you but I’m going to get you back for every single tease about me ever. Ever’ _ . 

Obi-Wan is nodding, hand automatically reaching up to stroke his beard. “Some of the clones aren’t able to make the clean break from being allowed to take comfort in others to that being denied.”

“Right, Sir. A-and like I say, that’s totally understandable. But those that struggle, get teased a bit. It’s not kind Sir, but… well… a lot of our training wasn’t.” 

“So, Captain. What does this have to do with Commander Cody’s name? I must confess I’m not quite following.”

Rex is plummeting down Cody's list of favourites at breakneck speed. Soon even fucking Slick will be higher than him. The silence is dangling over them, Rex not quite brave enough to actually say it while Cody's there with him. But Obi-Wan is waiting, patiently waiting. The silence ticks by like a battlefield, where the bombs are whistling but haven't landed.

Cody's the one to break it, mumbles, “...co-dependent…”

“Pardon, Commander?” Obi-Wan’s turned totally to face him. He knows his face must be almost Guard Red at this point. All the _vode_ know the history behind his name, he’s never had to  actually tell anyone before. 

“Co-dependent. ‘S what Alpha-17 called me. Name stuck. Thankfully, I managed to whittle it down to Cody eventually. Sir.” The Sir comes a beat too late, Cody so embarrassed by what he's admitting that he forgets for a short while, staring at the floor like it can tell him the secrets of the Force. 

He thinks he can see some non-vocal communication going on at the edge of his vision, but he’s ignoring it - or trying to. 

Until Rex slaps him on the shoulder and runs back down the corridor.  _ Fucker _ . If Rex was one of his he’d be on KP for a week. As it is, the most he could do is call in his dwindling list of favours and sic Kix on him for a couple of boosters. Eh, he'll save it for a more pressing occasion.

“To be honest, Commander, it’s a lot better than the stories behind a couple of the men’s names, as I’m sure you well know. Though I’m sorry for giving Rex a chance to tease you. Little brothers can be a pain.” 

When Cody manages to tear his gaze from the floor, stops praying for a Sarlacc pit to open up and just eat him whole, Obi-Wan’s eyes are kind. Because of course they are. But that doesn’t stop him from feeling fucking stupid. 

“Well Sir, now you know.” He gives a brusque nod to the General and begins to walk away. He’d been  _ so close _ to his quarters. He turns around, looking back at Obi-Wan. “I’d, ah, appreciate if you didn’t tell the Admiral? I’d like to have at least one person on this cruiser still think I’m competent.”

“Commander Cody. Your competency was never up for debate. Will never be. I trust you with my life, with that of my family. You are one of the best men I have ever known, and if you sought comfort longer than you were allowed it by those-” he takes a steadying breath. Cody thinks he's swallowing down the _aruetiise_ he wants to say but can't, “-cloners and trainers, then that is nothing to feel shame over. To have a connection with others, to rely on your brothers rather than only on yourself, can never be a bad thing.”

There's a burning he can see in Obi-Wan’s eyes that matches the burning in his own chest. Cody can feel the veracity in his words, is humbled to see some small part of how his General feels about him. The burning starts a prickle in his eyes and throat and he starts to move towards his door again, not trusting his facial expressions without a helmet to mask them. 

“Thank you, General.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on tumblr [here](https://oriki-miitad.tumblr.com/), come say hi!
> 
> The relevance of the names used - because names have meaning, always.  
> Michael was apparently a top 5 name in 1977, 1999, AND 2008 [for ep IV, I, and TCW].  
> Jacob was the top name in 2008.  
> And I asked for a boring name in the Soft Wars server and picked the name Joe!  
> No, I am not suggesting there's an Abrahamic faith in the GFFA. 
> 
> The Mando'a used here is common, pretty supplemental to the enjoyment of the fic, and translations should be easily searchable.


End file.
